And the award for weirdest movie ever goes to?(drum roll): The Fountain, which will be released in theatres today. It stars Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz. Picture this. A tree flying through space. Hair. A monkey with a head wound. Snow. Gnarled teeth of a savage warrior. Combine these images and the premise of this film is complete. Well, not exactly.

Hugh Jackman plays Tom, or quite simply three versions of Tom. Beginning in the 16th century Tom?s devotion for Spain and to its Queen leads him to the fountain of youth. Hundreds of years later in the present day, Tom has become a scientist desperately forging the limits of modern science to develop a cure for cancer as his wife, slowly succumbs to the effects of a tumor. Fast forward, well into the 26th century, Tom voyages to the depths of space to fulfill his destiny and realize his ultimate fate, as well as the woman he loves.

Visually stunning but mentally intricate, The Fountain is a surreal leap into the depths of the human psyche and submerges viewers into a strange tongue tying sequences of brilliant images. The Zen-like approach to such mystifying concepts will exercise even the most liberal of minds and will undoubtedly leave some soul searching and head scratching well beyond the final credits. And while such ideas may be ultimately impossible to practically imagine, the succession of time periods throughout the movie illustrate a tangible beginning, middle and end.

But amidst the span of a thousand years and love gained and love lost, the real feat of the film is director Darren Aronofsky?s vision into a world of near fantasy and myth. The screenplay of subtle haze and glowing emotions makes for a dreamlike state as Tom and his wife Izzy, played by Rachel Weisz, both feverishly and soothingly mull over their existence and the encompassing shadow of mortality and an end that is both inevitable and impossible.

But the bottom line on “The Fountain” is that it is difficult to follow. Aronofsky leaves the real narration on the tip of his tongue as he leads the audience into his mind, but fails to provide a roadmap. Viewers are often left to navigate themselves through the ever jumping back and forth of time and space, which will certainly create a lot of “what just happened?” whispers in the darkened theatre. The obscure conclusion lies just out of reach as it attempts to meld the mind and meaning of Tom?s exasperated life.

So take “The Matrix,” mix it up with “Apocalypse Now,” stir in some of Aronofsky?s “Requiem for a Dream,” add a dash of Pink Floyd?s “The Wall,” and pour it in with a healthy dose of “Sweet November,” and you?ve got yourself The Fountain: profoundly stunning, but faintly unsatisfying.

Rating: 2 Stars

Total stars possible: 4

Josh Huggett can be reached at [email protected]